Anthony Sabatini | |
---|---|
![]() Official portrait, 2024 | |
Member of the Lake County Commission from the 1st district | |
Assumed office November 12, 2024 | |
Preceded by | Doug Shields |
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 32nd district | |
In office November 6,2018 –November 8,2022 | |
Preceded by | Larry Metz |
Succeeded by | Thad Altman |
Member of the Eustis City Commission from Seat 2 | |
In office January 1,2017 –April 30,2018 | |
Succeeded by | Michael Holland |
Personal details | |
Born | Anthony Frank Sabatini October 20,1988 Smithtown,New York,U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Other political affiliations | Democratic (formerly) |
Spouse | Francheska Sabatini |
Residence | Howey-in-the-Hills,Florida [1] |
Education | University of Florida (BA,JD) |
Website | Official website |
Military service | |
Branch/service | Florida Army National Guard |
Rank | Captain |
Anthony Frank Sabatini (born October 20,1988) is an American far-right [2] politician,attorney,and Florida Army National Guard officer serving as a Lake County commissioner since 2024. A member of the Republican Party,he previously served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2018 to 2022. Once a strong supporter of President Donald Trump, [3] [4] Sabatini has been critical of Donald Trump since his endorsement of Daniel Webster over Sabatini in 2024. [5] [6] [7]
A native of New York,Sabatini graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree and received his Juris Doctor from the Levin College of Law in 2017. While in law school,Sabatini was elected to the city commission of Eustis,Florida in 2016;serving until his resignation to run for the Florida House of Representatives in 2018. In 2022,he was an unsuccessful candidate in Florida's 7th congressional district Republican primary,losing to Cory Mills. In 2024,Sabatini was an unsuccessful candidate for Florida's 11th congressional district,withdrawing his candidacy after President Trump endorsed his opponent. [5] [8] [9] That same day,he filed to run for Lake County Commission. [8] [9]
In August 2024,Sabatini narrowly defeated incumbent Republican Doug Shields in the Lake County Commission's 1st district election. In November 2024,he considered running for Florida's 6th congressional district in the 2025 special election until President Trump endorsed state senator Randy Fine. [10] Later that month,Sabatini reaffirmed his intention to run for Congress in the future. [10]
Sabatini has espoused a variety of right-wing stances,including opposition to abortion,gun control,DEI,and LGBTQ rights. His more controversial views include his support for Francisco Franco and Christian nationalism,his promotion of climate change denial and false claims of electoral fraud in 2020,and his opposition to vaccination.
Sabatini was born in Smithtown,New York,in 1988 and moved with his family to Florida the following year. [11] In a high school photo,Sabatini and a friend were pictured in blackface. [12] [13] In his freshman year of college,he was photographed in brownface. [14] [15] He earned bachelor's degrees in philosophy and history from the University of Florida in 2012 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law in 2017. [16]
In 2023, The Daily Beast revealed Sabatini plagiarized his undergraduate thesis,copying many statements from Wikipedia. [17]
Sabatini is an infantry officer in the Florida Army National Guard. He was appointed to the City of Eustis Code Enforcement Board and later elected to the Eustis City Commission in 2016 and resigned from the office on April 30,2018,to focus on his campaign for the Florida House of Representatives. [18] [19]
Sabatini defeated Monica Wofford and Shannon Elswick, to win the August 28, 2018 Republican primary, winning 46.7% of the vote. [20] In the November 6, 2018 general election, Sabatini defeated Democrat Cynthia Brown, taking 56.48% of the vote. [21] [22]
In 2019, Sabatini proposed amendments to make the Swamp Restaurant in Gainesville a landmark to protect it from demolition. [23] [24] The restaurant was temporarily closed, but not demolished, and eventually returned. [25]
On January 13, 2020, Sabatini introduced HB 1365, which would have made it a felony for doctors to provide hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery for transgender minors. [26]
In 2020, Sabatini introduced legislation allowing Floridians with valid concealed carry licensed to carry firearms on public colleges and universities. [27] [28] [29]
Sabatini has sponsored legislation to enshrine eight-year term limits for Florida's school boards. [30] [31] [32] [33]
Sabatini has introduced legislation to ban red light cameras in Florida. [34] [35] [36]
During his tenure in the House, the Orlando Sentinel described Sabatini as "the worst person in the Florida Legislature." [37] [38]
On March 8, 2021, Sabatini announced that he would challenge incumbent Republican representative Daniel Webster for Florida's 11th congressional district. He later suggested he might not wind up running against Webster due to redistricting. [39] On June 7, 2021, he announced he would challenge incumbent Democratic representative Stephanie Murphy for Florida's 7th congressional district due to redistricting. [40]
In August 2022, Sabatini lost the Republican primary to businessman Cory Mills. [41]
In April 2023, Sabatini declared his candidacy for the U.S House of Representatives, again challenging incumbent Daniel Webster for the Republican nomination for Florida's 11th congressional district. [42] During the campaign, Sabatini characterized Webster as "senile" and accused him of being a "RINO". [9]
In June 2024, Sabatini withdrew from the race after President Trump endorsed Webster. [43]
In December 2022, Sabatini was elected chair of the Lake County Republican Party. [44]
In December 2024, Sabatini stepped down as county party chair and endorsed Carey Baker for the position, who was defeated by Taylor Yarkosky. [1] In February 2025, Sabatini criticized Yarkosky's leadership and called for a new county party chair. [45]
In August 2025, Sabatini filed a lawsuit, on behalf of precinct committeewoman Autumn Jacunski, which alleged Jacunski was "physically battered" by county party vice chair Mike Trainor during an event attended by Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, claiming her hand was intentionally slammed in a door. [46] Shortly after, a three-minute video of the event was released showing Sabatini sent Jacunski into the building to inform attendees he was barred from entry, saying:
Go in there and tell every single f—ing person that this meeting needs to end right now,... Do not let them call this meeting because these three people said they are going to arrest me and throw me in jail, a sitting County Commissioner, if I walk in the building. [47]
Later in the video, Jacunski approached the entrance and became "confrontational" with Trainor. [47] When the door was shut, Trainor was not looking at the door; Jacunski appeared unhurt and walked away from the entrance. [47] Police were called to investigate, but no arrests were made. [47] In a statement to the press, State Attorney Bill Gladson responded to the event, saying: "prosecution is extremely unlikely" and "this whole situation could have been avoided if those involved would have just acted like adults instead of children. Everyone should be embarrassed. Lake County deserves better." [48]
Less than one hour after withdrawing his second candidacy for Congress, Sabatini announced his candidacy for the Lake County Commission. [9] In August 2024, he was elected to the Lake County Commission, narrowly defeating incumbent Republican Doug Shields. [49] On November 12, Sabatini was formally sworn into office. [50]
As county commissioner, Sabatini has proposed renaming a road in his district after Charlie Kirk, following his assassination. [51]
In May 2025, Sabatini lost his bid to become city attorney of Milton, Florida in Santa Rosa County. [52] [53] [54] On May 14, he was chosen as city attorney of Treasure Island, Florida in Pinellas County, succeeding Jennifer Cowan. [55] [54]
Sabatini is currently a member of the Republican Party. He was previously a registered member of the Democratic Party. [56]
Sabatini is anti-abortion, calling for an "abortion ban" from conception. [57]
Sabatini rejects the scientific consensus on climate change and has called for the execution of climate change activists. [58]
Sabatini has opposed gun control in the United States and has supported unrestricted carry legislation to allow Floridians to carry concealed firearms without first acquiring a permit. Sabatini described permit requirements as a requirement for persons "to beg government permission and pay money for the exercise of their fundamental God-given right." [59] Sabatini introduced constitutional carry legislation in 2020, 2021, and 2022; the legislation was endorsed by Republican governor Ron DeSantis but did not pass the Republican-controlled legislature; Sabatini criticized several fellow Republicans for failing to back the bill. [60] [61]
Sabatini is opposed to same-sex marriage, LGBTQ rights, and transgender rights in the United States. [57] [26] He has referred to LGBTQ pride as "anti-Christian" and called to "crush" Pride month for being "anti-American." [62]
This article is part of a series on |
Christian nationalism in the United States |
---|
![]() |
Sabatini is self-described Christian nationalist. [63] He has spoken at multiple rallies to "spread Christian nationalism" alongside General Mike Flynn. [64] [65] In 2022, Sabatini posted on Facebook: "only when Christians stand up & get loud, will we take this country back." [65]
Sabatini is opposed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Following the fatal Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, Sabatini tweeted "DEI did this". [66] His remarks were characterized as racist by the press and state senator Shevrin Jones quote-tweeted Sabatini, saying: "I guess DEI is the new 'N' word". [66]
Sabatini has called to ban all immigration to the United States except from Italy. [67]
In 2019, Sabatini was the lone Republican co-sponsor of a bill that would legalize the recreational use of cannabis in Florida for residents aged 21 and older. [68]
Sabatini has made multiple critical statements of "cancel culture", tweeting that, "If Socrates was out philosophizing in American society today, he would be cancelled real quick". [69] He has called for repealing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, arguing that it allows online platforms to remove conservative perspectives. [70]
Sabatini has proposed renaming the Florida section of U.S. Route 27 the "President Donald J. Trump Highway". [71] During Trump's reelection bid announcement in Orlando on June 18, 2019, a rally goer attacked an Orlando Sentinel reporter filming the event. The reporter tweeted the encounter, to which Sabatini replied "MAGA," for which he was again criticized for supporting violence. [72]
Sabatini has repeatedly supported Republican attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, which Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden. He has repeated disproven conspiracy theories about the election, and has called for audits of the results in Hillsborough County, Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County, and Orange County. [73]
Following the FBI's August 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago, Sabatini said Florida should "sever all ties with DOJ immediately" and added that "any FBI agent conducting law enforcement functions outside the purview of our State should be arrested upon sight". [74]
After President Trump endorsed Sabatini's primary opponent in 2024, Sabatini has been a critic of Donald Trump. [5]
In July 2020, a Florida resident filed an ethics complaint against Sabatini in connection with his involvement in several mask mandate lawsuits. [75] The complaint was in response to a press release about the lawsuit that printed Sabatini's official House email address as the press contact and alleged that this violates a Florida State Statute about misuse of public position. [75]
Sabatini has filed at least 14 lawsuits during the COVID-19 pandemic challenging local ordinances requiring the use of face coverings. [76] On September 2, 2020, he received his sixth loss from the filed suits that have so far been heard. [77]
In September 2025, Sabatini called to abolish all vaccine mandates in Florida. [78] [79]
In response to the protests following the murder of George Floyd, Sabatini posted a tweet that suggested that protesters who unlawfully enter businesses would be met with an AR-15 rifle; he posted a similar suggestion on his Facebook page with the caption "Don't Tread on Me". [80] The sentiment was widely condemned, with Florida State Representative Cindy Polo deriding it as "clearly inflammatory" and "inciting violence". [81] Nikki Fried, Florida Agriculture Commissioner, called for Sabatini to be reprimanded. House Speaker José Oliva found no "direct or preemptive threat" in Sabatini's comments and did not take punitive actions. [82] Sabatini also drew criticism from Florida state senator Shevrin Jones for referring to Black Lives Matter protesters in Minneapolis as "disgusting, lawless thugs" in a tweet calling for their arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment. [83]
During the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, following the shooting and death of three men in Kenosha, WI, Sabatini tweeted "KYLE RITTENHOUSE FOR CONGRESS." [84]
In 2017, Sabatini wrote an open letter as city commissioner, saying: "to any cities or counties that would like to donate their Confederate monuments to the City of Eustis, we will gladly accept and proudly display our nation's history." [85] In 2019, Sabatini supported the relocation of a Confederate statue from Washington, D.C. to Tavares, Florida. [86]
In 2022, Sabatini called to defund the Federal Bureau of Investigation, saying: "I think every single candidate and elected official in the GOP right now needs to go on record pledging to defund these lawless agencies." [87]
Sabatini criticized President Joe Biden's pledge to nominate a Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court following Justice Stephen Breyer's announcement that he would retire, tweeting, "Biden MUST be impeached for his anti-white racist exclusion of any white nominee to the Supreme Court". [88] [89]
In 2022, Sabatini quoted Spanish dictator Francisco Franco on Twitter, tweeting that “I answer only to God and to History.” In response to criticism of Sabatini's tweet, Sabatini posted a picture of Franco with President Dwight Eisenhower and stated that critics of his tweet were "extremely un-American." [90]
Following the attack on Paul Pelosi, The New York Times accused Sabatini of spreading misinformation when he suggested that the Pelosi family was hiding vital information about the attack. [91]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Anthony Sabatini | 3,414 | 46.1 | |
Nonpartisan | Brandon Avallone | 1,186 | 16 | |
Nonpartisan | Michael Strong | 2,804 | 37.8 | |
Total votes | 7,404 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Anthony Sabatini | 8,278 | 46.7 | |
Republican | Shannon Elswick | 5,170 | 29.2 | |
Republican | Monica Wofford | 4,276 | 24.1 | |
Total votes | 17,724 | 100.00 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Anthony Sabatini | 46,446 | 56.5 | ||
Democratic | Cynthia Brown | 35,784 | 43.5 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Anthony Sabatini | 63,164 | 55.7 | ||
Democratic | Stephanie Dukes | 50,226 | 44.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Cory Mills | 27,452 | 38.1% | |
Republican | Anthony Sabatini | 17,059 | 23.6% | |
Republican | Brady Duke | 11,010 | 15.3% | |
Republican | Ted Edwards | 4,197 | 5.8% | |
Republican | Russell Roberts | 3,970 | 5.5% | |
Republican | Erika Benfield | 3,912 | 5.4% | |
Republican | Scott Sturgill | 3,055 | 4.2% | |
Republican | Al Santos | 1,480 | 2.1% |
Sabatini is Italian Catholic. He is married to his wife Francheska, who unsuccessfully ran for county judge in 2024. [93] [49] They live in Lake County, Florida.